Simple facts about Singapore

This article is a welcoming gift to our foreign friends who have decided to venture here to work. Very often, when you are a stranger in a strange land, the tendency is for you to venture no further than the circle of friends from your own country.

Ironic it may seem, that one would travel miles away from home but afterward to remain within your own community abroad. Sometimes it is out of neccessity, while at other times, it is out of choice.

Lately, there have been much discussion in our national papers, and more so online, over the issue of Singapore's employment of foreign talents and foreign workers. While the discussion continues over this hot topic, we, who have foreign friends in our midst, ought to extend our hands of friendship to our Asian brothers and sisters and help them settle down as quickly as possible. We shall leave the politics of it out of our work environment.

Here it is then, an article to help our foreign friends assimilate themselves into our land, our habits and our observances, as a people called Singaporean.

1. INTRODUCTION

Singapore lies one degree north of the Equator in Southern Asia. The country includes the island of Singapore and 58 or so smaller islands.

Singapore's commercial development can be seen as beginning in 1819 when Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles annexed it for the British Crown. The purpose for the annexation was to establish a trading post for the East India Company. At the time, the island was sparsely inhabited by Malay fishermen.

The population increased as immigrants arrived from China and India. These immigrants helped to develop facilities for a port. Trade and settlement grew under British rule until 1942, when the Japanese took over the island. The British returned in 1945 when the Japanese surrendered at the end of World War II.

In 1959, Singapore achieved independence from the British, who were never able to regain the same power that they had held in Singapore before the war. It was in 1965 that Singapore separated from the Federation of Malaysia and became a totally independent nation.
Square Miles: 238.6 square miles (618.1sq. km). Coastline: 120 miles (193km).

2. WEATHER CONDITIONS
The climate is tropical, with an average temperature of around 26 to 35ºC. Evening temperatures are only slightly lower. Rainstorms occur on about 40% of all days in Singapore, with heavy rainfall from November to January. Rainstorms are usually short and intense.

3. PEOPLE
The population is made up of Chinese, Malays, Indians and Eurasians. Ethnic Groups: 75% Chinese, 16% Malay, 7% Indians and 2% other.
Languages: The four official languages of Singapore include Mandarin, English, Malay and Tamil.
Religion: Singapore's main religions are Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism and Christianity.

4. LOCAL CUSTOMS
Obey the laws, as they are strictly enforced. Fines will be levied for such acts as littering, smoking in restricted areas and not wearing a seat belt.
When entering a Singaporean's house or a mosque, remember to take off your shoes.
Do not eat or offer anything with your left hand when with Muslims.

5. CURRENCY
The currency unit is the Singapore dollar (S$).
Coins are in denominations of: 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 cents.
Notes are in denominations of: $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $500, $1,000 and $10,000.
Brunei notes are interchangeable with Singapore notes and are quite common.

6. THINGS TO KNOW
Population: 4,800,000

Flag:
Two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white (bottom); on the hoist side of the red band is a white crescent that is partially surrounding a circle of five white, pointed stars.

National Holidays:
New Year's Day
Lunar New Year
Hari Raya Puasa
Good Friday
Labour Day
Hari Raya Haji
National Day
Deepavali
Christmas Day

Time:
Singapore Standard Time is 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, 13 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time, and 16 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time.

7. CUSTOMS REGULATIONS
BE FORWARNED, DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING

8. EMERGENCY NUMBERS

Police: 999
Fire and Ambulance: 995
International Access Code: 106 for Malaysia (before the country code), 104 for other countries.
Country Code: 65

9. USEFUL PHRASES
Malay:
Yes ----------- ------ya
No ------------------ tidak (Teedak)
Hello --------------- apa khabar
Good bye ----------- selamat jalan (sir la mat jalan)
Thank you ----------terimah Kasih (tir ree ma ka seh)
I don't understand -- saya tidah faham (sa-yah teedak fah-hum)
Help! ----------------tolong (Toh-long)!

Mandarin:
Hello ---------------- Ni hao (Nee how)
How are you? ------- Ni hao ma? (Nee how ma)
Very good ----------- Hen hao (hern how)
I am. . . ------------- Wo shi. . . (Wo shih ...)
Please --------------- qing (czhing)
Excuse me ---------- Duì bú qi (dweì bú chi)
Thank you ---------- Xiè xiè (shièh shièh)
I don't understand -- Wo ting bù dong.
Danger -------------- weí xiàn (way shien)
Friends ------------- péngyou (perng yo-u)
Good-bye ---------- Zaìjiàn (jaì jiàn)